We’re back once again with another superb, open and insightful interview with another leading photographer. Today our guest is UK based photographer, trainer, teacher and writer; Damien Lovegrove

I was keen to find a guest who had ‘been there, done that’ – someone with plenty of experience who could speak with conviction about the photography industry today. Recently, we’ve had discussions in the Ready Steady Pro Facebook community about how the industry seems to have changed in recent years, so I thought what better way to find out for sure than to have someone of Damien’s calibre and experience on the show.

Damien started his life with cameras (in a professional sense) by going to work for the BBC as a trainee camera operator, before working his way up. As you’ll hear in this interview Damien went on to leave the BBC, start an incredibly successful wedding photography business, which ran for 10 years before Damien conciously, and intentionally decided to change direction in order to get weekends and time back in his life. Damien bought a business consultant on board to aid in the change of career from photographer, to writer, to trainer.

Michael Says:

“I first came across Damien many years ago, when i first got into photography myself. In the UK, unlike the US & Australia, we don’t really have many ‘big names’ when it comes to well-known photographers. We have a few, but not many. Well, of the few we do have Damien almost certainly is one of them. I found Damien’s teaching style to be very accessible and easy to take on board, but Damien also shows with his work that he has conviction in what he teaches. Damien is a photographer who has ‘been there and done that’ and as a result was someone I knew would be an excellent guest for the show. I’m really pleased that Damien has agreed to join me to discuss his career share with us some of the things he knows…”

Damien speaks openly about having multiple, passive revenue streams and so much more. This interview is a real-must listen!

As well as all of the wisdom and knowledge shared, Damien was also very generous and shared a discount code offering all RSP listeners 50% off all videos on his website (see the link below).

You really do need to have your notepad to hand, because the gems are dropped thick and fast in this episode!

Links to most of what is mentioned in this episode can be found below in the ‘Show Notes’ section

Sit back and enjoy this episode of Ready, Steady Pro! Click the link below to listen / download the podcast.

This weeks Topic

Changing Careers

Passive Revenue Streams

Relationship with FujiFilm

Wedding Photography is a retail business

Today’s Little Gems

50% off all videos in Damien’s shop. Just enter ‘readysteady’ at the checkout.Note:This is a one-time-use voucher and can be redeemed against one checkout transaction. If you would like to purchase multiple videos please purchase them at the same time using this voucher code to receive your 50% discount

Today’s interview is something a little different from Ready Steady Pro. The Ready Steady Pro Community and a large body of the listeners are, as you may expect, Wedding and Portrait Photographers. But, Rahim, who describes himself as a Sports Portrait Photographer, photographs – as you’d expect – sportsmen and women, Personal Trainers, Bodybuilders and even Olympic Athletes!

Even if you’re not into Portraiture or if your immediate reaction is that this episode won’t be relevant to you – think again. The fact that we’re talking about a slightly different niche to usual makes this episode no-less relevant to you as Rahim gives us a wonderful insight into his working strategy that includes almost exclusively using social media (Instagram and Facebook in particular) and practically forgoing a website and a blog. This unorthodox approach probably wouldn’t be the advice of many experienced business coaches, but Rahim is going against the grain and this approach is gaining him clients…fast! Despite only having gotten into this niche some 18 months ago and only picking up a camera around 2 years ago Rahim is making his own success and gaining traction and notoriety that many would take a decade to achieve.

Michael says:

“I first came across Rahim when he joined the RSP community on Facebook and saw that he was shooting something slightly different to most – sports, fitness and body building. It was interesting and refreshing to see something new in my news feed. But more than that though Rahim’s personality comes across very well on Social Media and that is something that isn’t always easy to achieve, even if you are being yourself and being genuine. When I saw Rahim post a selfie outside a David Lloyd Gym telling us he had just finished a meeting with them I was intrigued – Rahim seemed like a go-getter who hunted down business and ‘Hustled’. I had to know more and so I invited him on the show. I expected Rahim to be a great guest…but he exceeded my expectations!”

Be sure to stick around to the end to find out how you can appear on the show and get involved and also to hear some shout outs to those who have left iTunes reviews!

You really do need to have your notepad to hand, because the gems are dropped thick and fast in this episode!

Links to most of what is mentioned in this episode can be found below in the ‘Show Notes’ section

Here’s some more of Rahim’s work and be sure to check him out on Social Media where you can find more of his work.

Sit back and enjoy this episode of Ready, Steady Pro! Click the link below to listen / download the podcast.

This weeks Topic

Viral Social Media Strategies – Working where your clients are hanging out online

Not really needing or using a website or blog

Working for Free

Setting up shoots and creating opportunities

Today’s Little Gems

Rahim’s advice this week was simply to go out and make it happen. Organise shoots and fulfill them. Work for free when needed to get a portfolio. Send photographs to magazines and newspapers. Do what it takes to get yourself known and just do the work. We make our own success and we create our own opportunities – so no excuses: go out and do it!

It has been said before on many episodes of The Ready Steady Pro Podcast that you should be keeping a database of your past clients. Having the contact information of all of your previous clients (or, current clients rather) allows you to reach out and contact them directly. After all, you’ve worked with them already and you are now a known quantity to them – You already have that relationship with them and they will be more open and receptive to you than they would be to a generic marketing email from some other photographer. Just because you’ve shot their wedding and it’s been and gone doesn’t mean the door is closed to opportunities. There are so many ways and chances to reach out to those clients once again and leverage more business and continue the relationship.

Keeping In Touch

A good example of this is what I do around New Years: I would usually reach out to clients via email – a personalised message written specifically for them, referring to their wedding day, containing a few images and basically thanking them for allowing me to photograph their wedding or event that past year. I would tell them how much fun it was to be their photographer and how much I enjoyed it. In previous years I have also included a 10% referral discount at the bottom of the email (usually a code for them to pass on to a friend or family member) and also a discount for them if they would like some other photography doing (family shoot, lifestyle, portrait etc). There would be relevant links to the website for each of these services as well. The email of course makes it as easy for them to get in touch as possible – email, telephone numbers, links etc are all included everywhere within the email it’s appropriate.

Some photographers and business go as far as to send chocolates or flowers and gifts at Christmas time too. If you think this is more appropriate then go for it! Whatever you feel works for you and would most successfully achieve the goal of getting more business.

It all sounds like a lot of effort though…

It may sound like a lot of work having to type out personalised and individual emails for each client that past year, particularly if you’re already fortunate enough to have had a fair few clients, but this year was slightly different for me…

I was so unwell over Christmas and New Year recovering from Pneumonia and then having to put up with a condition called Pleurisy that I was just drained of energy. I didn’t have the get up and go to type over 20 individual emails to clients. So instead, from my sick-bed, I simply sent them all text messages. Nice and simple.

I wished them a wonderful New Years, told them to have fun if they were out celebrating, stay warm, stay safe and all the best for 2015. The messages were very short and sweet (it was a text after all). It didn’t need to be much – just enough to let them know I was around and thinking of them at this time of year and sending them a pleasant little message. I’m sure none of them expected it.

So, when one client told me her sister was getting married and that she will pass on my details I was very pleased. Then another client replied to say that she would be getting in touch in the new year about making an album.

Bonus!

Extra Tip

Remember – when adding links to emails etc use Bitly. You can create custom links for each email (if you want) and track the clicks to see if your campaign is actually working. It’s well worth doing and having some visibility over the success of your efforts.

Now It’s Down To Me

Now, the ball is back in my court of course – I have to chase these up and see them through, but for 15 – 20 minutes work (from bed!) I’ve got 2 solid leads that could make the business some money in 2015.

It was an exercise well worth my time if you ask me.

And hey, even neither of these leads come off – I’m still the nice guy who wished them well and reminded them I still exist. It’s a win/win.

It’s a Timely Exercise

This sort of exercise is timely though. If you’re going to reach out to clients and wish them well for the new year you’re going to want to do it soon. It’d be odd if they received a message late in January as it may seem like an after thought. Just do this now. If their numbers are in your phones just take some time to message them. If you store details in files sit down on the sofa tonight and get in touch with them. Better still if you’re making use of a system such as LightBlue all of the contact details you need should be to hand

Join The Conversation On Social Media

Happy New Year!

So, happy new year from all of us here at Ready Steady Pro. May 2015 be a successful one and if you’re aiming to transition to full-time, may 2015 be the year you do it successfully! Good luck everyone!

It’s not every day that you get to spend a day with the British Press Travel Photographer of the Year, but that’s just what I did on a sunny Saturday in June.

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down to talk about all sorts with the one and only Neil Buchan-Grant; British Press Travel Photographer of the Year, Olympus Ambassador and all-round nice guy.

This conversation was long-in-the works. I actually first came across Neil’s work almost by accident and very much unknowingly: Whilst looking at all of the mirrorless cameras on the market to see what they were all about I found an advert from Olympus in a photography magazine; it was to promote an offer they had on one of their OM-D cameras and the photograph that accompanied this advert was of an extremely beautiful young lady, photographed in black and white. She is wearing a masquerade mask and is beautifully lit in a soft and pleasing way. It’s an amazing photograph and really caught my eye.

This was the work of Neil Buchan-Grant. But I didn’t know it at that stage.

As my research into mirrorless continued I then found a blog post, titled: “Shooting in New York with the Olympus OMD EM1” showing off some more of Neil’s work. I wasn’t just mesmorised because the photographs were amazing, I was truly taken aback by the fact they were made with an Olympus Micro Four Thirds camera. Now, after having picked one up myself I’m not surprised at all as to what they’re capable of, but non-the-less and camera aside Neil’s work continues to really impress me and has set a new benchmark in my eyes. “I have to interview this guy!” I thought.

Then I heard Neil was going to be at the UK Photography Show and arranged an Interview. That wasn’t to be however – Our paths didn’t cross owing to different schedules on the day. So eventually Neil and I arranged a day in the summer where I travelled to Winchester to Neil’s house to meet the man himself and chew the fat. This interview features so many insights into the way Neil has earned his photographic success so far, including entering competitions and just putting himself out there and getting things done. What I really took away from this conversation was that if you want to achieve something, anything, you have to go out and do it. We talk about this and so much more, which is why this episode is around 2 hours long – so you may end up listening in parts, but it’s all worth it from start to finish.

Links to most of what is mentioned in this episode can be found below in the ‘Show Notes’ section

Here’s some more of Neil’s work and be sure to check out his website which features even more amazing photographs.

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Sit back and enjoy this episode of Ready, Steady Pro! Click the link below to listen / download the podcast.

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On The Tube in London, and other city undergrounds you will see adverts pasted inside the trains. Adverts for:

Headache relief

Hair loss

Holidays

Flu & Cold Remedies

There are more than just the above categories of adverts of course, but isn’t that list above some of the most targeted marketing available?

Thousands of people commute via the tube each and every day. The commute can be long, hot and cramped. It can be exhausting, it can give people headaches and stress people out. It’s enough to make you want to pull your hair out. It’s enough to make you think ‘I need a holiday‘ – the solutions to all of these things are advertised mere feet away from the people in need of them. The adverts are placed strategically knowing that people will need them, or, at least be open to suggestion when they see a solution to a headache.

When thinking about marketing are you trying to get your brand in front of as many people as possible or are you targeting your advertising to your future clients? The positioning of the marketing is arguably more important than the reach of the marketing.

Give that some thought get the next time you post fliers around your local area, or the next time you take out an ad in a local shop. Perhaps try looking at the most affluent area available near you, perhaps look at advertising in baby and children’s magazines (if that’s your thing).

Think specific. Then perhaps you’ll have less of that ‘they’re not my kinda client’ thing going on if you’re marketing to ‘your kinda client’.

Where do you market yourself and what have you found successful? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

These three guys have an absolute wealth of knowledge between them when it comes to this industry which can often feel like a minefield. So, let them help you navigate it! In this Webinar they promise to teach you:

6 Strategies to implement that will transform your photography business

The biggest mistakes you are making when dealing with your clients

Why clients are saying you’re “Expensive”

2015 will see me transition from the day job into full time photography and some of the most sage advice I’ve been given came from Steve Saporito himself. Steve taught me perhaps the most valuable lesson I’ve learnt as a photographer so far. It sounds like a simple one, but I’ll tell you for free that it’s the most powerful tool I have when it comes to booking clients. Steve told me: “You just have to care”. I instantly adopted this approach even more, taking on board the other things that Steve said and really listened to my clients. I asked them questions about them, how they felt about one another, how they met and really showed a genuine interest in their answers. I started to connect with my clients on a new level and through that I was able to start booking more clients AND at higher averages than before. It’s not a jedi mind trick, it’s not neuro linguistic programming: as Steve says – You just have to care! If, in that one nugget of information Steve has helped me to book more clients and increase my average from £650 per client to over £1,000, then that tells me that this is a Webinar that I must tune into. And so should you!

You may remember our very own interview with Steve from Episode 17 of the Ready Steady Pro Podcast – which has proven to be the most popular download to date with well over 1,000 downloads more than the second most popular episode. If you liked what you heard in that interview, then you’re going to love what Steve has to say in this Webinar. (Did I mention it’s free?)

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As part of the Ready Steady Pro Q&A Series we ask photographers from all backgrounds, niches and skill levels to answer 5 questions for the blog. This week, we hear from Davie Hudson of DavieHudsonPhotography.biz

About Davie:

I’m a 43 year old landscape/outdoors lifestyle photographer from Dundee in Scotland. My weekdays are taken up being a Machine Shop supervisor though i hope to be fully pro in 2015.Having asked so many other guests these 5 questions, here are my own responses:

Question 1: What’s the one single thing that has had the largest positive impact on your photography so far?

A few years ago now i had a rare day off work and a new camera…. A fuji superzoom. As I had a full tank of petrol I decided to drive up the A9 towards Inverness to see what i could shoot. It was heading towards mid morning so a coffee was most definitely in order so i pulled into a layby, which on that road are all numbered, this being 76…. I turned my head to the left and the sight I saw changed my life forever and cemented my resolve to be a landscape photographer.

Question 2:If you could start over again from scratch, what would be the one thing you would do differently?

At the moment I think everything is going well so no major mistakes have been made yet …. I would possibly have changed to digital sooner as film developing wasn’t my strongpoint.

Question 3: Who is the most influential photographer to you, and why? (Or, Which photographer do you admire the most, and why?)

I have 2 really Ansel Adams and Peter Lik… Mr Adams because literally he is the boss, there is still to be anyone better at tonal contrast in B&W, coupled with the fact he had a true passion for his environment and that shows in his photographs. Peter Lik is a different kettle of fish all together… he is a bit hit and miss in that when he’s good he is amazing but he also has the ability to be average. What i most admire about him is his marketing acumen, he is a master of getting the most benefit from what he has.

Question 4: If you able to give just one piece of advice to someone just starting out in their photographic career, what would it be?

Be you own quality control, never let anyone tell you what to like … If you like the picture and it means something to you then thats all you need. Also only ever show your best … we all have a pile of rubbish but no one EVER sees them.

Question 5:Paint a picture: What is the one thing / place / person you would love to photograph and why? It can be a person or a moment from history. As part of this answer also tell us about what gear you’d use, what lighting, what looks, wardrobes, poses and expressions you’d make use.

I would love to photograph American National parks in Winter to capture the magnificence of Yosemite in the footsteps of Mr Adams. As for gear, you could give me a smart phone in that situation and I’d be happy.

If you want to know more about me, see my work, or get in touch I’m on pretty much everything on the web: